Endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract: a retrospective study on 570 cases

Objective To investigate the pathogenesis and treatment of foreign bodies in the upper digestive tract in the Central Plain of China. Methods A total of 570 patients with foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March 2015 to March 2019 were selected. The types of foreign bodies, location of impaction, complications, selection of instruments and methods of removal of them were analyzed retrospectively. Results Among the 570 patients, 323 persons were males and 247 persons were females, with an average age of 47 years. Date pits were the most common ingested foreign bodies (24.2%, 138/570), and the esophagus was the most common lodgment site (73.2%, 417/570). Time from foreign incarceration to treatment was 6 h to 30 d, and the average hospitalization rate was 62.3% (339/570). The primary clinical symptom was retrosternal pain. The complication rate was (58.1%, 331/570), which was relatively high. Two patients underwent surgery to remove foreign bodies for esophageal perforation, and one pationt died due to treatment failure. Conclusions Endoscopic management is a safe and highly effective procedure for extracting ingested foreign bodies. Rapid endoscopic intervention should be provided to reduce the risk of complications. Key words: Foreign body; Upper digestive tract; Endoscopy